Reclining article of furniture



May 24,1949. A. LORENZ 2,470,781

RECLINING ARTICLE OF FURNiTURE Fil ed Aug. 22, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HIS ATTORNEY May 24, 1949. LORENZ v 2,470,781

RECLINING ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Aug. 22. 194s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR v fl/vra/v [Mm z. I Y k film-f" H 5 ATTORNEY Patented May 24, 1949 Application August 22, 1946, Serial No. 692',225 InCzechoslovakia March'15, 1946 This is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. #635,623, relating to An adjustable reclining chair or the like, filed Dec-ember; 13, 1945, and of patent application Ser. #637,936, relating to A reclining article of furniture, filed December 29, 1945-, and of patent'application Serf-#640,694, relating to A reclining article of furniture, filed January 12, 1946.

This inventionrelates to articles of furniture, and more particularly to-a reclining article of furniture, wherein the seat and. the back-rest form movable links of a polygonal compound linkage swingably mounted on a support, a portion of the latter forming the stationary link of d inka An object of the present invention is to provide a reclining'article of furniture of above described type, wherein the movable members of the article of furniture are very wellbalanced, so that an occupant resting in the article of furniture may bring the movable members of the article of furniture from one position into another poSition without great effort.

A further object of the presentinvention is to provide a reclining article of furniture of above described type equipped with a leg-rest swin'gably mounted on the seat and controlled by a 'controlling mechanism, wherein the leg-rest may be swung'through a relatively large angle during a movement of the movablemembers of the article of furniture from their sitting position into their extreme reclined position, so that the leg-rest may be brought into a substantially horizontal position when the members of the article of furniture' are in their extreme reclined position.

Still another object of the invention is'to improve uponre'cl'ining articles of furniture as now ordinarily madej i Withthe above and other objects of the invention in Vi-ew,'the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims thereof,certainembodiments of the same being desc'ribedin the specification and being' illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming 'part of this 's'pecification,"whereinz Fig. -1 isa side elevational View of a reclining chair accordingto the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of another embodiment of a reclining" chair according to the invention,

Figi 3 is a sectional view taken'on line 3-3 of Fig.2,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of a further embodiment of a reclining chair according'to the invention, and i w Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of still another embodiment of a reclining chair according to the inv n i n- Referring now to Fig. 1, I0 generally indicates 7 Claims. (01. 55 10'5) V Z a support, the side frames of which are connected with eachother by. cross bars l2. v

A back rest l4 iapivotally connected at its lower end with. the-supDort-"IO at Hi. On. each side of the chair, therear portion of a. toplinl; l8'is pivoted to an intermediate point 20 of the back-rest 14 above the pivotal connection l6oi thelatter withthe support, Ill. Tlhe iront portion of eachtopilinl Bisv pivotally connected at 22 with the'u'pper end portion of a connecting link 24, the lower .end portion of whichispivotedto the support [0 at 12?." Thus, .'the movable back rest l4','th"e moyabletop'link 18, the movabl connecting link M and the-stationary portionof the support I'll between the pivotal connection 26 of the connetingjlink ZITWith the support and the pivotallconnection lBioftlae back-rest 14 with said supportlorm mechanism.

T ear portio'nof a seat 28 is pi oted to th support 10 at 30"at;a pointspacedgfrom the pivotal connection; 16 between the back-rest l4 and the support 10.. On. eac side of ec air! the lower end portion of-affront link 321s pivoted to th'ei'iroht portion of. 'tlie'seatfl at 341' The upper end portion Of Said f fro'iit link 32 is pivoted to thetop link is atzrm coaxial alignment' with the-pivotal connectionibetween said top link 18 .andxthe' connectinglink' flg The *th'us connected'four barlink-mechanism l4; "l8, 24,"2B"l6 andthelink chain28y32 forma polygonal compound linkage. The links of said polygonal commune linkage may be readily arranged "in such: amanner and in such proportions, that themovablemembers ofthe chair are very well balanced, so that an occupant resting in the chair may bring the movable members of the chair fro'mone position-(for example the sitting "position"showrrfini full lines.) =intoanother position- (for example" the extreme reclined position shown in dash andflot l-ines) without great efi'ort; Thesitting position is "limited'by a stop 36 mounted on the support I 0',- agai'ns't-Which the seat 28 comes to arestfl The extremereclin'ed position is "limited=-'by *a stop =3 8-*mounted on the support [0, -"against -wl-iiclr the connecti'ng link 24 comes to I a rest when-thelatter is in the ex-- tremereclinedposition; The-upper endof a leg-rest {40 is pivoted to the front portion of the seat 28' '*at 42 On'e end of a controlling link 44" is pivoted to the le rest fill-at 4 6, the otherend'ofsaid-controlling link 84 is pivotal'ly connected with annup'ward extension of the supDOrtl'fl b'y' meansofa pivot 48. Said controlling linli "41 serves to "control the swinging movements of i the leg-rest 4 0 about its pivot 42 when the movable members or the chair are brought froni'one1position into another one. If, for "example; the b'ccupant rej tin in the chair leansth 'weightprjhis b dy a ain the. links o'ifa foura H JK- the back-rest I4 and brings the movable members into the extreme reclined position shown in dash and dot lines, the leg-rest controlled by the controlling link 44 is brought into a substantially horizontal position.

The upward extension of the support I is provided with a series of bores 50, and the pivot 48 may be inserted into one of said bores for changing the degree of movement of the le rest 40 by the controlling link 44, if so desired.

Although Fig. 1 does not illustrate a locking device for holding the movable members of the chair in any desired position, it is understood that any suitable locking device may be associated with at least one member of the link-system of the chair.

Furthermore, it is understood, that one or more of the links of the chair may be made of adjustable length so as to vary the degree of movements of the links when the movable members of the chair are brought from one position into another one.

Moreover, one or more links; of the chair may be of bent shape instead of the straight shape shown in Fig. 1.

The polygonal compound linkage of the chair shown in Fig. 2 is the same as that of the chair shown in Fig. 1. Again, the lower end of the back-rest H4 is pivoted to the support H0 at H6. The rear end of the top link H8 is pivoted to an intermediate point of the back-rest H4 at I20. The front portion of said top link H8 is pivotally connected with the upper end of the connecting link I24 at I22, and the lower end of said connecting link I24 is pivoted to the support H0 at I26. The rear portion of the seat I28 is pivotally connected with the support H0 at I30 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection H6 between the back-rest H4 and the support H0. The front portion of said seat I28 is pivotally connected with the lower end of the front link I32 at I34. The upper end of said front link I32 is pivoted to the top link H8 at the point I22 coaxially arranged with the pivotal connection between the top link I I8 and the connecting link I24.

The leg-rest I40 pivotally connected with the seat I28 at the point I34 coaxially arranged with the pivotal connection between the seat I28 and the front link I32 is equipped with an upward extension I52. Furthermore, the top link I I8 has an extension I54 projecting beyond its pivotal connection I22 with the connecting link I24. A helical spring I56 having its ends connected with the seat I28 and the leg-rest I40 tends to urge the extension I52 of the leg-rest I40 against a lug I58 arranged on the extension I54 of the top link H8. When the movable members of the chair are brought from one position into another one, for example from the sitting position shown in full lines into the extreme position shown in dash and dot lines, the lug I58 loosely connected with the extension I52 controls the movements of the leg-rest I40.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair is limited by a stop I36 mounted on the support H0 for cooperation with the seat I28; the extreme reclined position of the movable members of the chair is limited by a stop I60 arranged on the support I I0 for cooperation with the back-rest H4.

The movable members of the chair may be held in any desired position, for example in the extreme reclined position shown in dash and dot lines, or in any other intermediate reclined position by means of a locking device generally indicated by I62 and arranged on the pivot I20 connecting the top link H8 with the back-rest I I4. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, said locking device I62 comprises a handle I64 screwed on the threaded end of the pivot I20. Said pivot I20 has a head I66 resting against the surface of the back-rest H4. A square portion I68 of the pivot I20 is inserted into a corresponding square aperture of the back-rest H4, whereby the pivot I20 is prevented from rotation. When the user of the chair loosens the locking handle I64, the surface hub I10 of said handle is disengaged from the surface of the top link H8, so that the movable members of the chair may be freely moved from one position into another one. When the locking handle I 64 is tightened, the surface of the hub of the handle is pressed against the top link H8, whereby the latter is pressed against the back-rest II4 engaged with the head I66 of the pivot I20, so that the members of the chair are held in their position. Of course, any other type of locking device may be used instead of said locking device I62, if desired. Furthermore, it may be mentioned, that this type of locking device may also be used in the chair shown in Fig. 1.

When the movable members of the chair shown in Fig. 2 are held by the locking device I62 in any desired position, the extension I52 of the legrest I40 may be used as a handle for swinging the leg-rest I40 independently of the other members of the chair about its pivot I34 into a desired position relative to the seat I28, wherein the leg-rest I40 may be held by a holding device (not shown in Fig. 2)

According to the embodiment of an adjustable reclining chair shown in Fig. 4, the support 2I0 is in the shape of a casing.

The back-rest 2I4 is pivoted to the support 2I0 at 2I6. On each side of the chair the rear portion of the top link 2 I8 is pivoted to an intermediate point of the back-rest 2I4 at 220'. The upper end of a connecting link 224 is pivoted to the top link 2I8 at 222. The lower end of said connecting link 224 is pivoted to the support 2I0 at 226. Again, the movable back-rest 2I4, the movable top link 2I8, the movable connecting link 224, and the stationary portion of the support 2I0 between the pivots 2I6 and 226 form the links of a four-bar link-mechanism.

The top link 2I8 has an extension 254 projecting beyond its pivotal connection 222 with the connecting link 224. According to Fig. 4, the upper end portion of the front link 232 is pivoted to said extension 254 of the top link 2I8 at 212 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 222 between the top link 2I8 and the connecting link 224. The lower end of the front link 232 is pivoted at 234 to the seat 228, the rear end of which is pivoted to the support 2I0 at the point 230 spaced from the pivotal connection 2I6 between the back-rest 2I4 and the support 2I0.

A leg-rest 240 swingably mounted on the front portion of the seat 228 at 242 has an upward extension 252 pivotally connected with one end of a controlling link 244 at 214. The other end of said controlling link 244 is pivoted at 216 to an arm 218 rigidly connected with the connecting link 224 so as to participate in the movements of the latter.

When the swingable back-rest 2I4 is brought from the upright position shown in full lines into the extreme reclined position shown in dash and dot lines, the seat 228 forming a member :5, the back-rest 314, is pivoted; Iat

321:. The, front portion bfsaiditep the lug 38B of the support .3110 at 3.3)] at :a point lower end 0f 1 a .front ,lifnk ,332

device 262 arran ed on 'the'pivotal between thje back-rest 21a and In the adjustable reclin ng cha are of the supportzfi'm, on eaci isrciegart Ithe' 'rear portion of thetoplink 3l'8 .to an intermediate point or the back pivoted at 322 to tnenu p'e'r endio f a link 324, the lower end ,of which'i'spi ed support 3'[U ;"at}32B. Thusflthe'imovab hack est 3 M, the movable topllink' 3 [8,; the movemen necting link 3214 .and .thefstationalfl brt the support 3].!) between the {pivots form the links of a four-bar ,lin nec V The rear 'portion of the .'seat. 31 8 is pivoted to spaced from, the pivotal (conn eotiori:.,3l the back-restL31V4Ma-nd.the 30,, .The

portion 10f the .seatiaza is pivoted at .scf'a, ito the which is pivoted to Ian ,interrn I ft gpgpt the top .li'nk 73.1.8 at thei point ssz p ed .,from the pivotal; con ectibn' .1322 between the tobalink al a and the connecting link 332. v ,l

PIhsittingposition of the movable members of the chair shown in full lines is limited by a stop 3% mounted on'thesupport'3l0 for cooperation with the seat328; the extreme reciined positionof the movable members of the chair shown in dash and dot lines is limitedby a-stop "338 mounted on the support73 Ii!) for cooperation with the connecting link 324.

, The movable members of the chair may be Q eans ingdevicefiiz'fi arranged on the pivotal con "are between the back-rest smaiia thltq fl iiik I have described.preferred-embodiments of my invention, but it is understood that this disclosure is forthe, purpose of illustration,...and thatvarious omissionsor changes inshape', proportion; and arrangement of parts as well as the substitution for equivalent elements for those, herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Furthermore, the invention may be applied to other articles of furniture than the type of chairs shown in the drawings, for example to desk chairs, garden chairs, chairs for use in railroad cars, chairs for use in airpanes, loungets, etc.

What I claim is:

1. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above said pivotal connection between the backrest and the support, a connecting link, one end p l, rig link b'eing pr n ra eme Piv ec ion between theback-res't a-nd'the support, I) rest, said top-11hr, sai 'connecting"link at nary portion of the'supportibetween 1" connection of the connecitihglink with ridp'ftheback rest with the support l ks' Mi iba li bm p a sml tl ie"re n ortion or said seat being pivoted iiDGr t point spaced fromthe pivotal en t hack-rs n the sl pa ,ir ntt j hh one d rt n S id stung i itb ed to' o t'pgrtion q e 'otherend portion of'said front ed to the'ltop link. .reblm ng article of furnitu e, co p i i q aback-r s p v t se f, s i pqr link, the rear portion of said toplinkflber t d man inter ediate p int o ai -b s ta 3 q mfl ec di b tween the theis ports on cti slinkion .d connectin li ik bein Di t portion lqf said top"., ink; th and .n that? d i 1 2K b n .d sup o t a a p in s a edp rom onnectionb tween t e hackar s and d backrest; sa ten nk sa d ink and ,th ta iq a y p tion o th tween the pivotal connection [of the us f lkwit the supp rt and o the a ikportgforn'iing the links ofa fourf, a seat,,.the' [rear portion of ed to i A l .tzl nk o l e d 11 15 a djjrontllin'k'heih pivoted .to',the .01; .of said "seat, the oth en p rti n t link being pivoted ,to the ,top link, sass j il d ,Withfat least one tern qfthe fti l fo ble members thereof ,in a preev position.

g alfiiQe of furniture, comprising: oted ltosaid support, 0n ,Qffsaijd top link v being ediate' point of 'saidbacka1" connection .between the iine'fctiri link, nnectin'gjlink bein 'on of said top link, the d"; connecting link being i at, a point spaced fro 'n uotbeittv'v thejback-restand bac r st.

rest with the support forming the links of a fourbar link-mechanism, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, and a front link, one end portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, and the other end portion of said front link being pivoted to the top link at a point coaxial with the pivotal connection between the top link and the connecting link.

4. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back- 5 rest above said pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to the front portion of said top link, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, said back-rest, said top link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the back-rest with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, and a front link, one end portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, and the other end portion of said front link being pivoted to a point of the top link spaced from the pivotal connection between the top link and the connecting link.

5. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said backrest above said pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to the front portion of said top link, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to I said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, said back-rest, said top link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the back-rest with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, said top link having an extension projecting beyond its pivotal connection with the connecting link, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, and a front link, one end portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, and the other end portion of said front link being pivoted to said extension of the top link.

6. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said backrest above said pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to the front portion of said top link, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, said back-rest, said top link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the back-rest with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, and a front link, one end portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, and the other end portion of said front link being pivoted to an intermediate point of the top link between the pivotal connections of the latter with the connecting link and the back-rest.

7. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said backrest above said pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to the front portion of said top link, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, said back-rest, said top link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the backrest with the support forming the links of a fourbar link-mechanism, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a front link, one end portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the other end portion of said front link being pivoted to the top link, a leg-rest swingably mounted on the front portion of said seat, and a controlling means on a member of said article for controlling movements of the leg-rest, said member being exclusive of the seat.

ANTON LORENZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

